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2 thoughts on “Books, ebooks and musings by H.B. Koplowitz”

I attended SIUC from 1966-1970. At the suggestion of a fellow student from that time, I purchased a copy of CAD&OS. During that time, I lived mostly in Boomer I in University Park. (During my junior year, I lived for a time in off campus dorm Stevenson Arms. In 1969-70, I was an RF at Boomer I. Academically, I studied forestry in the College of Agriculture.

I’ve learned some things about that era that I did not know and relearned some things that I’ve forgotten.

You are complimented on the research you have done and the facts you have related. I think you have created a “cult classic” which can really only be appreciated by those who lived through that era.

I would like to comment though on what I feel is probably an oversight in the story you have told. While your story is factually correct, I think you missed an opportunity to explore emotional sides of what the general student body experienced durning this period.

During the spring of 1970, the tensions on campus made it nearly impossible for students to concentrate on academics. As the demonstrations progressed, tensions increased to the point where one found it impossible to concentrate academically. My recollection is that the demonstrators were primarily liberal arts majors in english, philosophy and the arts while majors involving the sciences, including the Ag school, were more interested in academics and did not protest. Folks who I was attending class with, particularly seniors, wanted to go to class so that they could graduate.

Boomer I at that time housed primarily freshmen and sophomores, upperclassmen sought housing off campus. These freshmen and sophomores, many of whom were losers of the draft lottery, mostly had no interest in classes. Rather, they were interested in partying, drinking and harassing the police and national guard. I recall distinctly these folks throwing ash trays and other trash at the guardsmen who were patrolling campus.

The major thing I think you omitted in CADAOS is that freshmen and sophomores mostly were not interested in protesting in loco parentis or the war. They were interested in avoiding final exams.

I distinctly recall that as rumors about a campus shut down were circulating, freshmen and sophomores in University Park were saying “no more finals” and were more interested in causing trouble than in protesting the war. And when the campus was closed, the celebrations were more about “no finals” than the war or anything else.

That being said, I commend you relating what occurred in Carbondale during that era.

Stu: Thanks for your feedback. I fully agree there were more partiers than serious protesters in the streets. Put another way, protest organizers used the partiers to make their events much larger, but it also resulted in more violence and vandalism. HB